COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 52 Ohio State women’s tennis team earned its first Big Ten Conference win of 2014 Tuesday, shutting out Penn State, 7-0, in University Park, Pa. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 1-0 in conference play and collect their fourth shutout of the spring season.

The Buckeyes, who move to 5-0 when winning the doubles point in the spring slate, claimed a 1-0 lead with a pair of 8-1 wins on courts two and three. Freshmen Gabriella De Santis and Sandy Niehaus defeated Carmen Sandor and Katia Blik at No. 2 doubles, while rookies Miho Kowase and Ferny Angeles Paz topped Katherine Whiteaway and Taylor Shukow on court three. Court one did not complete play.

Ohio State earned victories in all six singles matches to secure the shutout vs. the Nittany Lions. Redshirt sophomore Nicole Flower posted a 6-2, 6-0 win vs. Shukow on court six to add the first point for the Buckeyes. At the No. 5 position, sophomore Grainne O’Neill notched a 6-4, 6-4 victory vs. Whiteaway in straight sets.

Angeles Paz secured the team victory for the Buckeyes for the second-consecutive match, tallying a 6-3, 6-4, win vs. Marie Bedard on court four.

Kowase extended her wining streak to six-consecutive matches, holding off Dasha Sapogova, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, at the No. 2 position to give the Buckeyes a 5-0 advantage vs. Penn State. At the No. 1 position, De Santis rallied to defeat Blik in a super tiebreaker, 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7).

Niehaus completed the shutout with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win against Sandor on court three. With the win, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native improved her winning streak to eight consecutive singles matches this spring.

Up next, the Buckeyes will return to action with a doubleheader March 5 in Columbus. The team will host Northern Kentucky at noon and Cincinnati at 6 p.m.